Computing devices, especially portable computing devices, such as laptop computers, personal data assistants (PDAs), and cellular telephones, among others, typically contain a set of machine-readable instructions, or code. Such instructions are usually stored on the computing device in a non-volatile storage area such as a flash memory or a read-only memory (ROM). By storing instructions in a non-volatile storage area such as a ROM, the operating instructions for the device can be preserved even when a supply of electrical power to the device is discontinued. Stored code in a non-volatile memory such as a ROM is sometimes referred to as firmware.
Manufacturers, owners, and users of these computing devices may, from time to time, need or desire to change the code stored in the ROM. Reasons for such changes include changes in functionality or security, or to correct defects in the code. To assist in this task, methods and devices such as version numbering, modularization, and communication protocols have been employed. However, the existence of different, and potentially incompatible, methods and devices to update firmware complicates the task of performing updates. Current systems and methods to update firmware fail to take into account underlying differences in firmware update systems or implementations and do not provide a uniform scheme for updating firmware across different systems or implementations.